Sjogren's Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment

Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease that causes your immune system to go haywire and attack healthy cells instead of invading bacteria ... MenuMedicalReferenceFeaturesNewsArchiveNewsReferenceSlideshowsQuizzesVideosWebMDRxSavingsCardCoronavirus(COVID-19)CBDOilKetoDietHepatitisCDiabetesWarningSignsRheumatoidArthritisMorning-AfterPillBreastCancerScreeningPsoriaticArthritisSymptomsHeartFailureMultipleMyelomaTypesofCrohn'sDiseaseAtoZGuidesMenuMedicallyReviewedbyCarmelitaSwiner, MDonAugust02,2022YourGuideToSjogren'sSyndromeWhatIsSjogren'sSyndrome?Sjogren’sSyndromeCausesandRiskFactorsSjogren’sSyndromeSymptomsSjogren’sSyndromeDiagnosisQuestionsforYourDoctorAboutSjogren’sSyndromeSjogren’sSyndromeTreatmentSjogren’sSyndromeHomeRemediesSjogren’sSyndromeComplicationsSjogren’sSyndromeOutlookGettingSupportforSjogren’sSyndromeWhatIsSjogren'sSyndrome?Sjogren’ssyndromeisanautoimmunediseasethatcausesyourimmunesystemtogohaywireandattackhealthycellsinsteadofinvadingbacteriaorviruses.Yourwhitebloodcells,whichnormallyprotectyoufromgerms,attacktheglandsthatareinchargeofmakingmoisture.Whenthathappens,theycan'tproducetearsandsaliva,soyoureyes,mouth,andotherpartsofyourbodydryout.Therearetreatmentsthatbringrelief,though.It'snaturaltoworrywhenyoulearnyou'vegotalifelongdiseasethatwillneedregularcare.KeepinmindthatmostpeoplewithSjogren'sstayhealthyanddon'thaveseriousproblems.Youshouldbeabletokeepdoingallthethingsyoulovetodowithoutmakingmanychanges.Sjogren’sSyndromeCausesandRiskFactorsDoctorsdon'tknowtheexactcause.Youmayhavegenesthatputyouatrisk.Aninfectionwithabacteriaorvirusmaybeatriggerthatsetsthediseaseinmotion.Forexample,let'ssayyouhaveadefectivegenethat'slinkedtoSjogren's,andthenyougetaninfection.Yourimmunesystemswingsintoaction.Whitebloodcellsnormallyleadtheattackagainstthegerms.Butbecauseofyourfaultygene,yourwhitebloodcellstargethealthycellsintheglandsthatmakesalivaandtears.There'snolet-upinthefight,soyoursymptomswillkeepgoingunlessyougettreatment.SomeotherthingscanmakeyoumorelikelytohaveSjogren’s,including:Age.Sjogren’susuallyaffectspeopleover40,butyoungeradultsandchildrencangetit,too.Gender.Womenare10timesmorelikelytohaveSjogren’sthanmen.Otherautoimmuneissues.NearlyhalfofallpeoplewhohaveSjogren’salsohaveanotherautoimmunecondition,likelupusandrheumatoidarthritis.Sjogren’sSyndromeSymptomsThesymptomsofSjogren'scanbedifferentfrompersontoperson.Youmayhavejustoneortwo,oryoumayhavemany.Byfar,themostcommonsymptomsare:Drymouththatmayhaveachalkyfeelingorfeelingorfeellikecotton Dryeyesthatmayburn,itch,orfeelgrittyDrythroat,lips,orskinDrynessinyournoseAchangeintasteorsmellSwollenglandsinyourneckandface SkinrashesandsensitivitytoUVlightDrycoughorshortnessofbreathFeelingtiredTroubleconcentratingorrememberingthingsHeadacheDrynessinthevaginainwomenSwelling,pain,andstiffnessinyourjoints Heartburn,asensationofburningthatmovesfromyourstomachtoyourchestNumbnessortinglinginsomepartsofyourbodySjogren’sSyndromeDiagnosisBecausesomanypeoplewithSjogren'salsohaveanotherautoimmunedisease,andSjogren’ssymptomssometimeslookalotlikesomeotherdiseases,likefibromyalgiaorchronicfatiguesyndrome,itcansometimesbehardforyourdoctortogiveyouadiagnosis.Togetclues,yourdoctorwillgiveyouaphysicalexamandmayaskyouquestionssuchas:Doyoureyesitchorburnoften?Areyougettingalotofcavitiesinyourteeth?Doesyourmouthgetdry?Howaboutyourlips?Doyouhavestifforpainfuljoints?Yourdoctormayaskyoutogetsomebloodtests.Theywilltakesomebloodfromyourveinandsendittoalabtogetchecked.Thebloodtestsmeasurethelevelsof thedifferenttypesofbloodcellsyouhaveandcanshowifyouhavegerm-fightingproteins(antibodies)thatmanypeoplewithSjogren'shave.Theycanalsomeasureinflammationinyourbodyandtheamountofcertainproteinscalledimmunoglobulinsthatarepartofyourbody’sinfection-fightingsystem.Highlevelsofthesecanbesignsthatyouhavethedisease.Yourbloodtestscanalsogiveyourdoctoranideaofhowwellyourliverisworkingandshowiftheremightbeanyissueswithit. Yourdoctoralsomayrecommendafewtestsrelatedtoyoureyesandmouth:Schirmerteartest.Thismeasureshowdryyoureyesare.Yourdoctorwillputasmallpieceofpaperunderyourlowereyelidtoseehowmuchyoureyetearsup.Slitlamp.Yourdoctorusesthismagnifyingdevicetogetacloselookatthesurfaceofyoureye.Dyetests.Yourdoctorputsdropsofdyeinyoureyestocheckfordryspots.Salivaryflowtest.Thismeasurestheamountofsalivayoumakeoveracertainamountoftime. Salivaryglandbiopsy.Yourdoctorwilltakeatinypieceofasalivarygland,usuallyfromyourlowerlip,fortesting.Thiscantellthemifyouhavearareconditioncalled lymphocyticinfiltrate,whichisabuildupofwhitebloodcellsthatlooklikebumps.Insomecases,theyalsomaysuggestanimagingtest:Sialogram.Yourdoctorusesthistoshowhowmuchsalivaflowsintoyourmouth.They’llgiveyouashotofdyeinthesalivaryglandsinfrontofyourearsanduseaspecialkindofX-raytotakepicturesofitsflow.Salivaryscintigraphy.Thisimagingtestisusedtotrackhowquicklyatinyamountofaradioactivesubstancegetstoallofyoursalivaryglands.Yourdoctorwillgiveyouashotofthesubstancethentrackitsprogressoverthenexthour.QuestionsforYourDoctorAboutSjogren’sSyndromeWhatcanIdoformydryeyes?IsthereanythingIcandotomoistenmymouth?WhatcanIdoforjointpain?Becauseofmyimmunesystemproblem,isitsafeformetogetaflushot?Sjogren’sSyndromeTreatmentYou'llneedtotakemedicinethroughoutyourlifetohelpyoumanageyoursymptoms.Youcanbuysomekindsinadrugstorewithoutaprescription,whileyourdoctormayneedtoprescribestrongeronesifthosedon’tworkwellenough.Forinstance,dropscalled"artificialtears"cankeepyoureyesfromdryingout.You'llneedtousethemregularlythroughouttheday.Therearealsogelsthatyouputonyoureyesatnight.Theadvantageofthegelsisthattheysticktoyoureye'ssurface,soyouwon'tneedtoapplythemasoftenasthedrops.Ifartificialtearsaren'thelping,yourdoctormayprescribedrugsforyourdryeyes,including:CequaLacrisertRestasisLacrisertisatinyrod-shapedmedicine.Youputitintoyoureyewithaspecialapplicator,usuallyonceortwiceaday.CequaandRestasiscomeindrops,whichyouusetwiceaday.Anothertreatmentoptionfordryeyesisaprocedurecalledpunctalocclusion.Thisiswhenyourdoctorputstinyplugsintoyourtearductstoblockthemup.Thiskeepstearsfromdrainingawaytoofast,meaningtheystayonyoureyeslongerandhelpyoureyesstaymoist. Tohelpyourdrymouth,yourdoctormayprescribedrugsthatboosttheamountofyoursaliva,including:Cevimeline(Evoxac)Supersaturatedcalciumphosphaterinse(NeutraSal)Pilocarpine(Salagen)ThereareothertreatmentsforsomeofthelesscommonsymptomsofSjogren'ssyndrome.Forinstance,ifyougetyeastinfectionsinyourmouth,yourdoctormightprescribeantifungalmedicine.Ifyougetheartburn,yourdoctormaygiveyoumedicinesthatcurbtheamountofacidinyourstomach.Yourdoctormayalsosuggestamedicinecalledhydroxychloroquine(Plaquenil)totreatyourjointpain.It'sadrugthat'salsousedtotreatmalaria,lupus,andrheumatoidarthritis.It'srare,butsomepeoplewithSjogren'sgetsymptomsthroughoutthebody,includingbellypain,fever,rashes,orlungandkidneyproblems.Forthosesituations,doctorssometimesprescribeprednisone(asteroid)orananti-inflammationdrugcalledmethotrexate(Rheumatrex,Trexall).Sjogren’sSyndromeHomeRemediesTherearelotsofstepsyoucantakeonyourowntohelpmanageyoursymptoms.Fordrymouth:Sipwaterfrequently. Chewgumorsuckoncandytostimulatesalivaflowandhelpkeepyourmouthmoist.Besurethey'resugar-freesoyoudon'tgetcavities.Tryartificialsalivagelsorsprays,especiallybeforebed.Askyourdoctor,dentist,orpharmacistaboutmouthwashesorspraysthatcanrelievedryness.Youmightneedtotryseveraluntilyoufindaproductthatworksforyou.Keepupwithtoothbrushingandflossingtoavoidgettingcavities. Scheduleregularcheckupswithyourdentist.Fordryeyes,nose,orskin:Useahumidifierorvaporizeratnight.Thesemachinesalsocanhelpyourdrymouthornose. Tryanasalsalinesprayorgelfordrynose.Usewarmwater,nothot,whenyoubatheorshowerifyouhavedryskin.Insteadofusingatowelaftershowering,letyourself"dripdry."Yourskinwillabsorbthemoisturefromtheshower.Sjogren’sSyndromeComplicationsSinceyoudon'thaveenoughsaliva,whichhelpsprotectyourteethfromdecay,there'sachanceyoumaygetmorecavitiesthanotherpeople.Youcouldalsogetinflammationofyourgums,calledgingivitis,oryeastinfectionsinyourmouth.Youalsomayfindithardtoswallow.Drynessinyournosecanleadtoissueslikenosebleedsorsinusitis. Dryeyescanmakeyoumorelikelytogetinfectionsaroundyoureyesthatcanharmyourcornea.Youalsomaynoticesomenewissueswithyourvision.OtherlesscommonhealthconditionslinkedtoSjogren’sinclude:Irritablebowelsyndrome(IBS)InterstitialcystitisProblemswithyourliver,likechronicactiveautoimmunehepatitisorprimarybiliarycholangitisConditionsthataffectyourlungs,likebronchitisorpneumoniaInflammationinyourlungs,liver,andkidneysLymphoma,orcancerofthelymphnodesNerveissuesSjogren’sSyndromeOutlookYou'llneedtokeepupwithmedicinethroughoutyourlifetogetrelieffromsymptoms.Everyone'sexperienceisdifferent.Withtherightcare,youcanleadanactivelife.Itcanhelptogetintouchwithotherswhoaregoingthroughthesamething.Youcancomparenotesaboutsymptomsandgetideasaboutwhatbringsrelief.Talktoyourdoctoraboutsupportgroupsinyourarea.Reachouttofamilyandfriends,too.Theycanbeagreatsourceofemotionalsupport.GettingSupportforSjogren’sSyndromeTheSjogren'sSyndromeFoundationcanconnectyouwithothersthroughsupportgroupsandconferences.ManageYourMigraineWhattoEatBeforeYourWorkoutTreatingRAWithBiologicsBestTreatmentsforAllergiesMSandDepression:HowAreTheyLinked?YourGuidetoUnderstandingMedicareArthritisandSjögren'sSyndromeSjogren'sSyndromeDryMouthFightingaMysteriousDiseaseWhatCausesLupus?Lupus:TheSymptomsandSignsLupusArthritisTypesandBasicInformationSjögren'sSyndromeTopicsRiskyMistakesPetOwnersMakeSomeofthesemightsurpriseyou.Depressed,GuiltyFeelingsAfterEating?Symptomsofbingeeatingdisorder.PsoriasisHomeRemedies14tipstoditchtheitch.QuitSmokingGetyourpersonalizedplan.SlideshowMultipleSclerosisSymptomsSlideshow10SecretstoaSparklingSmileSlideshow7WaysYou'reWreckingYourLiverSlideshowSymptomsofADHDinChildrenSlideshowType2Diabetes:EarlyWarningSignsSlideshowWhatIsSchizophrenia?SlideshowFungalInfections:WhatYouShouldKnowSlideshow11SurprisingSuperfoodsforYourBonesFoodsThatHelpEnhanceYourBrainpowerBreastCancerSigns&SymptomsConstipated?AvoidTheseFoodsLungCancerRisks:MythsandFactsCausesofErectileDysfunctionTipsforLivingBetterWithMigraineHealthSolutionsPenisCurvedWhenErect?CouldIhaveCAD?TreatBentFingersTreatHR+,HER2-MBCTiredofDandruff?BenefitsofCBD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